Caring for AIDS-orphaned Children: an Exploratory Study of Challenges Faced by Carers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Overview

Journal Vulnerable Child Youth Stud

Publisher Routledge

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2010 Dec 18

PMID 21165153

Citations 26

Authors

Caroline Kuo

Don Operario

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Fifteen million children have been orphaned because of AIDS and these numbers are expected to grow in the coming decade. Individuals providing noninstitutional care for AIDS-orphaned children play a critical role in the capacity of communities to respond to the epidemic. However, a limited body of evidence exists on these carers. Studies are urgently needed to build the evidence base on this population, particularly in South Africa which has the largest population of people living with HIV globally. An exploratory qualitative study with carers of AIDS-orphaned children and informants from nongovernmental organizations in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, South Africa, was conducted to (1) explore challenges associated with caring for AIDS-orphaned children and (2) identify areas for more detailed quantitative studies. Findings from this study contribute to a better understanding of AIDS-related impacts on the family by specifically identifying challenges associated with care for AIDS-orphaned children in South Africa.

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